Trembling Innocence
by ForgottenSoul77
Summary: A small girl ends up in the beat up part of Tulsa. What will happen when she meets strange new people?...Rating gone up for swears. [Chapter 5 up]
1. Blue eyed girl

**_Kawaii-Chibi-Kai is making a story using one of my characters and I thought: "I wanna make one too!" Can't let her have all the fun. The girl belongs to her. The others are all S.E's. Except in this story Shelley is mine! Except the fire dude…_**

** Chapter 1**

**A small girl about 6 walked down the dusty roads of Tulsa. Long blonde hair falling in china blue eyes. She was clad in a blue dress. It was frayed and ripped around the edges. Dirt and grass stains on it. Clinging to her feet were small black shoes. She wiped away tears from her eyes and looked around frantically.**

"**Where am I?" she thought. She had never been so far from home. She tried to remember how she got there in the first place.**

_**There was screaming. Lots of screaming. And smoke. It was hot and hard to breathe and see. A little crack in the wall was made. I crawled towards it coughing and crying. I slipped through and ran outside. Cool air. Not smoky no more. I waited for my mommy and daddy to go out. I waited a long time. Then it was dark and a man came towards me. He looked at me and his eyes were green.**_

"_**Sweetie," he said. "Your parents were killed in the fire."**_

_**I looked at him scared. He reached out a hand for me to grab but I backed away. I turned and ran far away. Then here. **_

**The small girl closed her eyes and wandered over to a lot. There she crawled under a large oak tree. She hugged her knees to her chest putting her head on her arm. Slow silent tears fell from her sky blue eyes. She buried her head in her hands and stayed there, crying softly.**

**A tan boy scrambled out of an old beat up house. Fear evident in his black eyes. He ran to a lot and slid under a tall oak tree. There he caught his breath and looked beside him. Black greasy hair fell into his eyes and curled behind his ears. He looked at a little girl.**

"**Who-who are you?" he asked.**

**The girl looked up at him and let out a tiny squeak of fear. She scrambled away behind the tree. He crawled over.**

"**Go-go away." She said looking at him fearfully.**

"**I'm not gonna hurt you." He said holding out his hand. **

**She looked at it before placing a trembling pale hand in his.**

"**There we go." He gently pulled her from behind the tree and she sat beside him. "Now what's your name?" he asked.**

**The girl hesitated a moment. This was a stranger, but he was being so nice. "Sh-Shelley." She said shakily.**

**He nodded. "I'm Johnny." He said giving her a small smile.**

_**So sweet! – FS77 **_


	2. Trembling Innocence

**The small girl smiled. "Johnny…" she repeated getting used to the name.  
Johnny smiled softly at her. "Yup." Just then a loud chorus of yells and shouts were heard.  
"C'mon guys! Hurry up!" called a golden haired boy as he ran across the field. He had on a white t-shirt and worn blue jeans.  
Sprinting at a leisurely pace behind him was a black haired boy. He had on a black sweatshirt and ripped blue jeans. The sweatshirts arms seemed to have been ripped off. "Slow down will ya!" he called.  
The gold haired boy just grinned. Under his arm he held a football and he tossed it to his friend. **

**He caught it, without breaking his sprint and ran after the grinning blonde. **

"**Aw c'mon Steve!" he said running around a tall elf like figure. "You can run faster than that!"**

**Steve rolled his eyes tossing the ball to a greaser with rusty looking side burns. He had on an orange Mickey Mouse shirt and a black leather jacket. He like everyone else had jeans. This was Two-bit. "What ya'll suppose I'll do with this?" he asked, running past a 14 year old auburn haired boy. **

"**Run it to the goal and do a dance," said the kid rolling his eyes.   
"Well thanks Ponyboy but I'm already there." said Two-bit grinning, hopping happily on the piece of land that was the goal.**

"**Aw, that was a cheap trick Two-bit," whined the blonde crossing his arms.  
"Aw quit yer whinin, Soda." said the elf like 17 year old. In his mouth was a kool's cigarette. "If you were paying attention you could' a caught him."**

**Sodapop frowned. "I was a little busy, Dal, trying to catch Steve-o here," said Soda gesturing to the coal haired boy, who shrugged. **

"**So Pony," said Dally as he took a hit off his weed, "Where's your big bro at?"**

**Ponyboy who had propped open a book and settled down with his back to a tree looked up. "He's at work like always," he said sighing. His green and black t-shirt didn't have a single stain on it and his jeans were neatly pressed. **

"**Damn kid, are you always readin?" asked Steve as he wrestled the ball away from Two-bit.**

**Pony looked up giving Steve a glare. He and the mechanic just didn't click. "Yeah, I am." He said coldly.  
"Aw, leave him alone, Steve." said Sodapop. Two-bit passed him the ball and he ran for the goal at the end of the field. **

**Steve shrugged. "Whatever," he said before running off to catch Soda.  
Dally shook his head grounding his weed with the heel of his boot. He shrugged off his leather jacket revealing a t-shirt and jeans. Then he sprinted over to help Steve. **

**Ponyboy looked up momentarily from his book and noticed a pair of blue eyes staring back at him from under an oak tree. "What the heck?" he said under his breath.  
Shelley looked closely at the auburn haired boy. Her long blonde locks fell into her china blue eyes that looked soft and innocent. She noticed the boy staring at her and quickly looked away, averting his gaze.  
Johnny smiled chuckling. "That's Ponyboy," he explained gently pushing her out from under the tree.   
Shelley nodded, pulling at the hem of her dress nervously, as they made their way over.**

**Johnny looked at Ponyboy and smiled. "Ponyboy I want you to meet Shelley."**

**Shelley put her hand out in front of her.  
Ponyboy shook it awkwardly. "Um…nice to meet you…" he said smiling.  
The small girl smiled, blushing. Pony smiled, before turning his attention to Johnny.  
The tan boy in a black shirt and blue jeans sat down next to his friend. "I found her crying under that tree over there." He said.  
Pony nodded, a little puzzled by the girl's appearance. She didn't look like anybody in their neighborhood and her blue dress seemed dirty and ripped. Shelley clung to Johnny's leg still blushing at Ponyboy.  
The auburn haired 14 year old smiled softly at her. "Are you lost, Shelley?" he asked.  
The small blonde nodded. "My pawents…I don know where dey awer…" **

**Johnny nodded. "She hasn't mentioned anything about where they are or what happened…" he said looking down at Shelley. She began trembling and her innocent blue eyes became flooded with tears. "I want my mommy and daddy!" she wailed. By then the rest of the gang had gathered around the three looking at the strange little girl. Sodapop stepped forward and crouched down next to the small girl. "Hey, it's ok…" he said softly. Shelley's tears did not stop and she curled into the happy-go-lucky blonde. Soda wrapped his arms around her. "It's ok…ssshhh…you're gonna be ok…" he cooed as he stroked her head. **

**Steve kneeled down too, pulling her hair out of her eyes. Then the cola haired mechanic gently wiped her tears away with his thumb. He looked down into her blue orbs and Shelley looked into hid black ones. **

"**You'll be ok…" said Steve smiling softly. **

**Between Soda and Steve's comforting words and soft approaches the small 6 year old stopped crying and eventually fell asleep in Soda's arms. **

"**Let's get her home…" said Soda. The rest of the gang nodded and they departed for the Curtis house. **

****


	3. Firsts

**(A/N: S.E Hinton owns the Outsiders. I own Shelley and….I also own the song 'Hushaby Mountain')**

Shelley woke up an hour later with bright blue eyes ready to start the day again. Her crying was over and she was ready to forget. 

**The blue eyed girl looked around and fright seized her body. Where was she? What was this place? She sat to see she had been wrapped in a soft green blanket, and her black shoes lay next to the bed on the floor. **

**The orphaned girl looked up into green eyes and gasped crawling under the covers. **

**Ponyboy smiled, laughing slightly. "Hey, it's ok. It's only me." He said trying to calm her down. **

**Shelley peered over the edge of the blanket, watching him wearily. **

**Ponyboy then remembered a trick his mom used to do when they were scared or frightened. "C'mere." He said beckoning the girl closer. **

**Shelley shook her head once. "Please?" Ponyboy pleaded looking at her through sad emerald eyes. The girl then slowly slid out from under the green blanket and to the side of the bed. **

"**A little closer." said Ponyboy with outstretched arms. **

**Shelley cocked her head to one side and slid into his arms and onto his lap. **

**Ponyboy then started to hum a small tune, and sing in a soft voice, "Go away, to Hushaby Mountain, lay awake on lullaby bay, go to sleep on Hushaby Mountain, lay awake on lullaby bay." From there the song unfolded into something more…**

_**Go away to Hushaby Mountain**_

_**Lay awake on lullaby bay**_

_**Go to sleep on Hushaby Mountain**_

_**Lay awake on lullaby bay**_

_**Close your eyes and enter  
Distant dreams, Deepen **_

_**Close your eyes and relief**_

_**Washes over your senses**_

_**Go away to Hushaby Mountain**_

_**Lay awake on lullaby bay**_

_**Go to sleep on Hushaby Mountain**_

_**Lay awake on lullaby bay**_

_**Now this song**_

_**Hangs in your dreams**_

_**Hang onto it, remember!**_

_**Cause as you sleep**_

_**And as you dream**_

_**The May months flow to December **_

**Shelley curled into Ponyboy, falling into a deep slumber of comfort. A small smile lit her features before she drifted off to sleep. **

**Soda when in a few hours later to see his brother and Shelley both fast asleep. He smiled before closing the door. Let them dream, let them sleep.**

"**PONYBOY! HURRY YOUR ASS UP!" yelled a frustrated Darry. "YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!" **

**School. The weekly torture all kids have to endure whether it be sun or rain, sleet or snow. **

"**Comin Dar!" shouted Ponyboy a little agitated this morning. He hadn't gotten a good night sleep from worrying about Shelley and wondering if the little girl's coughing fit would be alright until morning. Pony had guessed the cause of the fit was from her raggedy dress in the conditions of the spring heat. She should have had shorts and a t-shirt on, not a long blue dress. Ponyboy shook his head. He would tell Soda and Darry about it. **

"**Maybe she's suffering from heat stroke." said Johnny wisely, as they made their way to school. He had decided to tag along that day, since he had nothing better to do. He kicked at the pebbles as they walked along wearing his usual attire. A black t-shirt and jeans. His jean jacket lay forgotten in his room at home.**

**Ponyboy just shrugged, stuffing his hands into his tattered jeans, examining the small grass stain on his white t-shirt. "I just hope she's ok. She's with Soda and Steve at the gas station today." **

"**What an adorable little girl!" a flock of girls squealed as their boyfriends filled up the gas in their cars. **

**Soda grinned, and Shelley who was right in the middle of the mob of girls could only smile and back away when one got too close. She didn't like strangers. **

"**I could just eat her up!" said a girl with blonde hair and green eyes. The other girls made a murmur of agreement. **

**Steve who was currently pumping gas for all of the guys smiled shaking his head. **

**Shelley backed up and clung to Soda's leg as the crowd moved tighter together, each girl trying to get a better look. **

**Soda looked at Shelley and picked her up and she hugged him close. **

"**Oh my god! She looks just like you, Soda!" squealed another girl with red hair and way too much make-up. **

**Steve cocked his head to one side considering this. Shelley with her blue eyes and blonde hair and Soda with his blonde hair and brown eyes. **

**The hair was the same but the eyes, no way. Steve smiled. There was just something about each of them that made them their own. Shelley was young and innocent while Soda was a teen who needed to not see half of what he saw in that neighborhood. **

**Soda's eyes widened and he blushed. "Uh- well, you really think- I don't know…" he stammered as they started to chatter animatedly about the subject. **

**Steve couldn't help but snicker as he finished up. **

"**Yo Steve, you still with Evie?" said a black haired guy as he handed Steve a tip. **

**Steve shook his head. "I'm done with that tramp." He said as he caught Soda's eye. Was he staring at him? What the hell…**

"**Yeah I hear ya, man. That little bitch has got whats comin to her." He smiled and gave Steve a pat on the shoulder before loading up his car and taking off with his girl. **

**Soda looked quickly away as a blush came to his cheeks. Finally Evie was out of the picture! Soda was nice, but he knew when a girl like that was around for too long. To tell the truth, Soda really didn't like her. **

**At noon the station was pretty cleared of all the women and customers. That's when Shelley, Steve, and Soda settled down for lunch. **

**Shelley squealed in delight when Steve bought her an ice cream and gobbled it up like she had never had any before. **

**Soda looked on in wonder as he snacked on his PB&J sandwich. "Holy cow, Shell! Slow down!" He said afraid the little blue eyed girl was going to choke. **

**Shelley only giggled, licking at the ice cream that had gotten on her nose.**

**Steve smiled, wide eyed. "Damn, have you never had an ice cream in your life?" he asked as he wiped off the excess ice cream that was on her cheek. **

**Shelley shook her head. "Nope." Then she frowned as she thought about what Steve had said, _"…have you never had an ice cream in your life?" _"I couldn't! Mommy and Daddy never got me one! We were suppwosed to get one after-after they-wah!" she wailed as tears poured down her cheeks. **

"**Oh crap! Don't cry!" said Steve as he bit his lip. **

**Soda frowned. "Aw, Steve." He said picking Shelley up and cradling her in his arms. "It's ok, Shelley. It's ok."**

**Steve nodded. "Shoot, I'm sorry kid. Don't cry. It's gonna be ok…" **

**Shelley nodded, grabbing at Soda's shirt with one hand and reaching her other hand out to grab a handful of Steve's. As she held onto to them for dear life her tears stopped falling and she closed her eyes, sniffling. Would it be alright? **


	4. Run, don't look back

**(A/N: S.E Hinton owns the Outsiders. I own Shelley. I am sooooo sorry I haven't updated! I've been really busy with school and now these damn summer projects they gave us. Damn them! Damn them! –coughs- Yeah…anyways, here's an update and hopefully you don't kill me!  
Sorry to all you slash fans out there. It isn't what you think it is….sorry. Don't kill me! I support slash too…I'm just too cowardly to write it…Anyways! Here you are! I own Soda's boss, since I basically made him up!)**

**The small blue eyed girl woke up an hour later, dried tears stained her cheeks and she felt dizzy. Where was she?**

Shelley looked around slightly disoriented. Where was Soda? Where was Steve? 

"**Hello?" she called. Shelley surveyed her surroundings. A big place…hard floor. There was a door that went up and down…a garage? **

**A boy with messy locks and an oil covered face entered, cleaning his oil splattered hands with a rag. "Hey, you're up." **

**Shelley smiled and ran up to him, hugging his leg. "Steve," she said. **

**Steve cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah…?" **

**Shelley just stood back and smiled. "Didn't know where you were." She stated blinking up at him. **

**Steve felt his heart melt and quickly pushed it aside. "Er…ok." He was never good with kids.**

"**Why don't you go see Sodapop? He'll take you back to his house." **

**Shelley nodded and hugged his leg one last time before running off to find Soda.**

**Sodapop sighed as he helped another customer. It was rush hour and all the gas stations were filled from all the people getting off work. **

"**Fill'er up." said the dark haired man, cranking open the window. **

**Soda nodded giving the man a smile. "Hard day, sir?" he asked trying to make polite conversation. **

**The man grumbled in response. "Terrible, kid. I tell ya, if I don't get a vacation soon I don't know what I'll do." **

**Soda smiled as he filled the car up. "Don't worry. Good things happen to those who wait." He replied. **

**The man smiled. "Take it easy, kid." He gave Soda a two dollar tip before driving off. **

**Soda smiled and pocketed the money. "Anytime," he whispered. **

**He turned around and almost walked right into Shelley. He stumbled but caught his balance. "Hey, Shelley." He said smiling. He carefully picked the small child up, holding her close. **

"**You ready to go home, sweetie?" **

**Shelley nodded in response and Soda nodded. "I just need to let the boss know I'm leavin, ok?" **

**The blonde again nodded in response and Soda and her set off. **

**Soda boss was a small stocky man with a balding head and a dark mustache. He had large bushy eyebrows which almost his eyes, which were a shocking electric blue. **

"**Hey Ray?" called Soda.**

**The man looked up and walked over to Soda. **

"**Ok if I take the rest of the day off? I'm gonna take the kid home." He said referring to Shelley. **

**Ray scratched behind his head. "I don't know, Soda. I'm one man down on the shift already since James headed out." **

**Soda furrowed his eyebrows. "But she's really tired, Ray. Can't ya let me off just this once?"**

"**Well…" said the man as he gazed at Shelley. "Alright. But just this once." He turned around and Soda grinned waling out the door. "Don't think this will be a regular thing!" called Ray as the door shut and Soda grinned, rolling his eyes. **

"**I promise!" he called as he walked down the walk and onto the sidewalk. **

**The cold chill of night nipped at his skin and Shelley buried her head in his chest. He hugged her closer trying to protect her from the wind. "Just a bit longer, kay?"**

**She nodded her head, clutching to him for dear life. **

**Soda smiled and continued to carry her down the street, completely oblivious to the lights trailing behind him. **

**Not until someone yelled, "Hey grease ball." did he turn. **

"**Shit." Soda cursed beneath his breath. He quickly set Shelley down, putting his hands on her shoulders. **

"**I want you to run, ok? I want you to run as fast as you can to my house, and I'll be right behind you." He said.**

**Shelley stared at him confused trying to pull him along. "C'mon." she said quietly. **

**Soda shook his head. "Shelley, listen to me and run. I'll be right there." He managed a small smile. "It will be a race. If you get their before me, tell Pony to give you an ice cream cone, ok?"**

**Shelley stood there as tears welled up in her eyes. The socs were slowly advancing and she couldn't leave Soda. "I don wanna go!" she wailed. **

"**Shelley, do this for me? Please, Shelley, please?" Soda begged noticing how dangerously close the socs were. **

**Shelley nodded as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Ok." She said softly before fleeing into the night and down the street. **

"**What'sa matter, Grease? Scared?" said the soc as he stood behind Soda. His cronies all laughed drunkenly. **

**Soda shook his head, grinning at them. "Just thinking how stupid you all look." He replied. He knew it would set them off. He knew he was in for it. But sometimes he just couldn't help himself. **

**The soc narrowed his eyes and the last thing Soda saw was his fist flying at his face.**

(OoO! Cliffy! I hope that didn't suck too much. Anyways review!) 


	5. The Ecounter

**(A/N: I'm back! –Gets mauled by angry fans- Ow! Ow-not the face! I know its been like a month but I had school and stuff. I'm updating now though! Sorry!) **

**Shelley ran until she could run no more. Small beads of sweat ran off of her foreheads and dripped down her cheeks, mingling with tears. **

**Where was Soda? Where was she?**

**The small girl stared at her surroundings, a small sense of fear showing in her eyes. **

**A twig snapped.**

"**H-Hello?" asked the small girl trembling. Laughing danced in the shadows, and people surrounded the girl. **

"**What'd you think we should do with her?" asked a black haired boy. Pressed tan khakis and a maroon madras shirt in view. **

"**We could take her home and do more…pleasurable activities with her." said a blonde grinning. **

"**No." intercepted their leader. A tall blonde with shimmering green eyes. "I say we take her. The greasers are bound to wonder where she's gone."**

**A few murmured in agreement, grinning. **

**Shelley cast her glance wildly around, before making a mad dash between one of the socs legs. She squirmed through before scrambling back up and running as fast as her little legs would carry her. **

**Before long her legs gave out and she collapsed on the ground exhausted. **

**The socs surged around her once more, grinning wildly. "Grab her, Tommy." said the blonde. The black haired soc nodded, and went to grab Shelley. **

**Shelley made a squeak of protest as his hand wrapped around her wrist, biting down. **

**Tommy cursed, smacking her. "Son of a bitch!" he cursed. **

"**Let her go!" **

**The socs turned around, their eyes casting wildly about. A small group of Greasers stood before them. Their leader, a tall bloke with blonde hair. "You heard me." He growled advancing towards the socs. **

**The soc leader growled at the offending greaser stepping towards him. "And what are you gonna do about?" **

**Tim Shepard was not to be messed with. This was a lesson many had learned. Tim merely grinned, cracking his knuckles to show his point. "My outfit against yours." **

**A glint of hesitation flashed in the soc's eyes. Tim caught this and grinned. **

**The soc cursed before turning away, and shoving the girl roughly away. "You win this round, greaseball." He spat before signaling the others and stalking off. **

**Tim merely smirked before turning his cool grey eyes to Shelley. "Your with Curtis." He replied casually. "We'll take you back." And without another word he and his gang strode ahead. **

**Shelley cocked her head in confusion, wiping at her tear stained cheeks before obediently following. Thoughts ran threw her mind. Why were some people nice and others mean? How did people turn up when you least expected them too? And most important, when was she going home? **


End file.
